THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9931, 21 September 1895, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GARDEN.

The splendid weather exparienced during the past three weeks has enabled gardening operations to bo carried on with pleasure and success, and to hasten forward with and make provision for the many requirements that the season demands. All soils, heavy as well as light, have been in the best possible condition for working. The good long spell of fine weather, without even a shower, has dried the soil for some distancebeneath the surface, consequently any diggiug or forking of the beds and borders that may have been done will leave the soil sweet and dry, and in excellent condition for pulverising shortly after the first rain, when the transplanting of annuals and the various bedding plants that are required for the summer display, may be made. The recent dry time has amongst the many other benefits to the garden greatly assisted in checking the slug nuisance. Notwithstanding the excessively cold winter slugs have been as plentiful as ever. IS is surprising where they come from. Of all the troubles and annoyances the gardener has to contend against slugs are about tne worst. If left undisturbed they soon demolish or disfigure many of the most highly-prized plants. However, this spring the dry time has given a rare opportunity to,keep them down by occasional limings. Lime should be liberally applied to all gardens, and evenly scattered over the surface of the soil. It not only kills slugs and other vermin, but is beneficial to the soil. Care should be taken when applying the lime, to avoid scattering it over the foliage of all plants indiscriminately, as it disfigures as well as injures the foliage of some varieties, and burns young seedlings when applied broadcast upon the foliage when wet with dew. Grass must be well attended to and cut, and ground rolled frequently. The after appearance 'of the lawn will greatly depend upon the treatment ib receives when the growth is so active.

KITCHEN GARDEN. The season has again arrived for the sowing of marrows and pumpkins. There is always some portion of the kitchen garden that has become overgrown with sorrel and other weeds, and poor from constant cropping. Such pieces will be suitable for the sowing with pumpkins, marrows, and other melons. Holes should be dug from nine to twelve feet apart, mixing up in each two or three forkfulls of manure, then add some fine pulverised soil, and sow a few seeds on each hill. The intervening spaces should afterwards be manured and deeply dug, and left with a rough surface to sweeten the •oil. The pumpkins, etc., after they once start will soon cover the ground, and keep down weeds with their thick foliage. By this means poor and weedy patches may be utilised by a crop fchab will be off in time to have the l*nd properly treated by trenching and manuring in the fall. The sowing of rock a,nd water melons must be deferred until next month, as ib is boo early to sow now. Tomatoes for general crop may now be extensively planted. Parsley and other herbs thab are raised from seeds should now be sown, and plants of lemon thyme and those that are employed for borders of walks taken up, divided, and re-planted. All seedling crops at this season require) constant attention in the way of hoeing between the rows to break the surface crusb. Thinning oub, etc. Lime, boo, should be dusted over the surface of the ground to destroy slugs and other vermin. The planting of asparagus and rhubarb roots should now all be completed, as the planks are starting into active growth. All varieties of runner and kiddey beans may now be sown in sufficient quantity for early requirements.

THE ORCHARD. Judging from the appearance of all the early flowering trees there is every prospect of a most abundant yield of stone raits. Poaches, nectarines, and all varieties of plums, are clothed with the outmost profusion of blossom. This, too, appears general throughout the province. On every hand growers speak of the healthy and promising appearance of the trees, and should the splendid weather we are now experiencing continue until the blossoms are well sab- there will be each a crop as will necessitate a rigorous thinning out of the fruit. Japanese plums are a sight to behold, being a sheet of blossom from the* top to the bottom, reminding one of the hawthorn bashes seen in the old

country. For ornamental purposes alone Japanese plums are worthy of a place in every • shrubbery, as they possess such a wealth of bloom unsurpassed by any other shrub in flower at the same season. - The coming season should afford ample opportunity to judge of the merits of these comparatively new fruits. ■ Peaches everywhere seem to be imbued with new vigour, the flower and trees are looking more healthy and promising than they have for years past. But as most growers know from past per ience this crop depends to a very great extent upon the : weather experienced during the next few weeks. If they escape the cold south-west winds that often prevail at this season there should be some very heavy crops. The peach is naturally a tender subject, and the blossoms; are soon damaged by, cold winds or frosty air, and the fertilising properties of the flowers destroyed. I notice that all orchards that have been dressed, as recommended, during the winter, have a remarkably clean and fresh appearance, the bark being smooth and free from all parasite growths ; besides, ib has the effect of destroying innumerable insects, as well as fungoid germ?. The unusually severe, wet, cold winter has, without doubt been most beneficial to all hardy fruit trees.. They have had a much longer season of rest than usual. The wood, "too, particularly that of peaches and plums, is better ripened. Peaches appear to be quite free from gum or exudation of sap that is generally seen at this season. Roubin* work in the orchard will consist in keeping the soil around the trees occasionally stirred and free from weeds. Mow, too, is the best time to apply stimulants in the way of artificial or other manures. With stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, apricots, and others, an application of manure now, and another just at the time the fruit is stoning, will have a beneficial effect, and help them to set and carry good crops of fruit. Trees that have been grafted will need looking over occasionally, and all young 1 growths that start out from the stock removed. As soon as the grafts are started' into growth the ties should be examined, and if they are cutting into the wood they must be slackened or removed. Kepos.